Paper napkin



""" forme Patented Sept. 21, 1926,

UNITED STATES ABRAHAM R. MELKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PAPER Application filed January My invention relates to improvements in sheets of folded material, more particularly to papernapkins, as commonly in use in restaurants, lunchrooms, etc., and the object of my invention is, first, to provide a heavily reinforced flap so arranged and positioned as to enable the user to easily and convenientl lift up and open the napkin, whereby the eavily reinforced flap serves the purpose of positively preventing thetearing or mut-ilating of said aper napkins.

Another object o my invention is, to provide a simplified method of folding such paper napkins, thus simplifying the necessary mechanical features of machines intended to automatically fold and discharge these paper napkins.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention relates to certain new and use ful construction, combination, and arrangements of parts clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the accompany drawings in which;

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a completely folded sheet of paper napkin,

embodying .my invention.

Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the same napkin, the ends of the lifting flaps being bent up as done in the operation of opening the napkin.

Figure 3 represents the fully opened paper napkin as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, clearly indicating the various folding lines. Figures 4 to 8 represent the various steps of operationsrequired for folding the napkins.

.Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. 4

One of the important features is the special quadruple fold of the opening flap 1, as shown in the closed position in Figure 1, and in the semi-open position in Figure 2. It is a well known fact that, in taking paper napkins 'out of their receptacles orcontain- 46, ers, a certain amount of force is exertediresultin in mutilated, torn, or otherwise deconditions of the napkins. This rather, serious and objectionable feature I NAPKIN.

2, 1926.. Serial No. 78,990.

overcome very successfully, as proved by numerous tests, by the adoption of the quadruple folding of opening flap 1.

A certain method of folding the paper napkins is to be followed to obtain the formation of such a heavily reinforced-opening flap. This method and its various steps is clearly illustrated in Figures 4 to '8. In Figure 3 the fully opened paper napkin showing the various folds is illustrated.

The first step is to fold the napkin along a centrally located line 2, as shown'in Figure 0 I 4. Thg sheet will'thu's be doubly folded as shown in Figure 5. The next step is to fold the doubled sheetalong a line 3, as shown in Figure 5, thereby obtaining the important quadruply reinforced opening flap 1. The next fold will be along line 4, preferably midway between the edges 6, of the doubly folded sheet, and the firstly folded line 2, as shown in Figure 6. Of course, any other desired or suitable location for this fold line 4, may be chosen. The thusly folded sheet, after being tightly pressed together, as shown in Figure 8, is once more folded along a centrally but longitudinall located line 5 (see Fig. 3) thereby completing the cycle of .75 operations resulting in the folded paper napkin as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Having thus fully described and illustrated my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details'of foldings, it being apparent that there maybe some variations in the folding or the size of sheets in utilizing the principles disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Vhat I claim as new by Letters Patent is:

1. In napkins, the method of folding a sheet of suitable material; first, centrally and longitudinally; second, folding a portion of this so-folded sheet of material, at its closed end back upon 'itselfythird, folding the longer legs of the double sheet along I a suitably located lon itudinal line in such manner as to causet e previous portional fold to locate about centrally; fourth, to 95 bend the thus folded sheet of material along and desire to secure a centrally but transversally located line, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In paper napkins, the method of fold- .ing a. sheet of paper; first, longitudinally and centrally; second,v folding a narrow portion of the thus doubled sheet of paper at its closed end back u on itself; third, folding' the longerlegs 0 the so-folded sheet-in 10 such manner as to locate the secondly folded narrow portion in abouta centrally arranged position: fourth, to-fold the so far com- I pleted sheet along a centrally but transversally located line, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth. 1

Signed at city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York this 23rd day of December A. D1925.

A. R. MELKER. 

